10+ Hints & Tips for Wooden Furniture Care

Little Tree Furniture is craftsman made with great care and attention to produce distinctive pieces that will bring pleasure for years to come.

Hardwood and handmade furniture

Our furniture items are made mostly from hardwood. Each item of furniture is handmade and hand finished which adds character to your item. You will notice that top surfaces are slightly rippled, this together with natural features such as knots, grain and colour variation which occur in real wood, ensure that each piece is individual. With careful use these finely made pieces give many years of satisfaction.

Features of natural wood

Wood is a beautiful natural mineral. It is important to understand its unique properties; these properties should not be mistaken for flaws:

Wood shading and grain

Each piece will have a slightly different grain pattern. Variation in colour shading and grain between different products and within the same product can occur, and this is a normal feature of natural wood furniture.

Knots

Knots are a natural property and of all real wood furniture; they add interest and do not affect performance.

Expansion

All timber will display movement from season to season because of changes in the atmospheric temperature and humidity. This occasionally may make drawer movements a little stiff, to ease movement simply rub a little candle wax on the drawer runners attached to the carcase of the furniture on either side of the drawer.

Considerations for your furniture placement

Please consider the following suggestions when placing your furniture item:

Levelling units

It is essential that your furniture is positioned on a level surface to ensure doors hang correctly and open smoothly.

Wedges can be provided (if requested) for your products with doors to assist you in levelling furniture. When the furniture has been in place for several days, to allow the carpet to compress, the unwanted part of the wedges should be snapped off so they are no longer visible.

If doors fail to operate smoothly, or the product is moved, levelling should be rechecked. Any suitable packing material can be used to level, by raising the lower corner as required.

Sunlight and heat

Avoid exposing your furniture to excessive heat for example by placing it in front of a radiator, as this can cause cracking. A minimum 45cm clearance from the heat sources is advised.

Direct sunlight will cause the colour of real wood to change, even if it is wax or polished, and this will be particularly apparent if the furniture is placed under a window or conservatory.

Never place hot dishes or cups directly onto wooden surfaces, we recommend that you use table mats. Prolonged use of hot electrical equipment, such as a television or lamp, on top of the furniture may also cause scorching.

Spillages

Avoid spilling all liquid types onto your furniture as this will stain if not immediately attended to.

Spills should be removed immediately using a cloth.

Cleaning

To maintain the appearance of your furniture we recommend regular dusting with a soft cloth, preferably lint-free.

A beeswax furniture polish from a reputable supplier may also be used.

The repeated use of a silicone-containing polish is not recommended as it will lead to a build up of silicone film altering the appearance of the piece.

General care

Take care when moving the furniture, dragging pieces across the floor may cause damage to the joints.

Dropping furniture onto corners or feet may cause damage.

Leaning backwards on two legs of a chair will weaken joints.

Take care to prevent sharp objects such as toys, buckles and heels from coming into contact with your furniture as scratching may occur.

If your furniture becomes stained, scratched or chipped or suffers other damage we recommend professional help is sought to restore it.

As a valid customer please feel free to call us if you need any further information or advice.